In a gas light tube fixture such as a neon light sign, the neon gas tube must be installed in a socket so that the electrical current, usually at a high voltage, can excite the gas which in turn produces the light. The neon gas tube is usually formed into various shapes and can be of various sizes. However, each end of the tube must end in a wire terminal or such to facilitate the electrical connection. The tube, by necessity, must be sealed at each end with only the electrode extending into the sealed tube.
The gas tube, usually made from glass, has the ends generally in a straight configuration to facilitate mounting the tube. A socket mounted in the sign surface substrate accepts the end of the gas tube and provides for the necessary electrical connection. The usual socket only provides for a loose fitting placement of the gas tube in the socket. The gas tube is mounted on several separate mounting stands that not only maintains the gas tube in the socket (at each end the gas tube) but also maintains the gas tube away from the sign surface substrate.
The sockets for the gas tubes must be mounted in the sign surface substrate, at positions generally governed by the length of the gas tube used in the sign. Generally an appropriate aperture is made in the sign surface substrate at a convenient location. The prior art sockets are then installed by inserting the main body of the socket into the aperture and securing the socket by threading a ring on the back side of the sign surface substrate. Such an arrangement requires access to the back side and front side of the sign and its sign surface substrate which is inconvenient and affects the integrity of the sign enclosure. This is especially true in signs located in corners or near ceiling/wall joints. U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,535 discloses a gas tube electrode connector which connects the gas tube to a socket but does not teach the attachment of the socket to a sign. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,486 discloses a mounting apparatus for a fluorescent lamp holder however this apparatus requires the operator to work behind the sign surface substrate 27 when connecting the attachment socket 40. U.S. Pat. 5,354,208 discloses a neon tube connector assembly for J-shaped ends of neon tubes. In this disclosure an enclosure cover must be removed to obtain access to the tube end tip 16 and is limited to J-shaped tubes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,724 discloses a housing and cap assembly that facilitates the connection of a neon tube to an electrical cable in two separate, parallel cylinders. This patent does not disclose how the housing and cap assembly is installed in a sign enclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,413 disclosures a conduit sealing assembly for a neon tube. This assemble facilitates connecting the neon tube to the electrical cable but the cover for the tube/electrical connection is a downward facing glass cup 28. The conduit connection to the sign housing is done with a screw rings 42 and a nut 54 on a sleeve 36.
Existing gas light tubes, such as neon light tubes, have glass sockets which use a rear mounted metal retaining ring threaded on the glass socket. Such socket is easily broken by dropping or over tightening the retaining ring and requires access to the back of the sign surface substrate. Thus there is a continuing need for a front mounting gas light socket that can be easily installed from the front of a sign and without access to the back of the sign.